The iPod Shuffle Shuffle
Saturday, March 31st, 2007Background
I just got an iPod Shuffle. After returning the original one as per Apple chat support, I exchanged it for a new iPod Shuffle with the hope that would do the fixing. It did not. Here’s what happened on chat, with no resolution. I’m currently on the phone waiting for a product specialist.
Another fun addition to the story: I tried to take the iPod shuffle back to Walmart store B after the iPod shuffle was bought at store A. The customer service manager told me I had to return it to the store it was purchased from because Apple would question the return. He looked really uncomforable, like maybe the Apple rep came to the store and threw iPods at him once before because he took back an iPod that was purchased at another store. After 15 minutes or so of customer service fun, I decide to take a loss, leave and regroup. If you have ever been to Walmart you know what I mean.
So, I went back 2 days later and like magic I was able to get a full refund. I drove a mile down the road and bought a similar iPod Shuffle at Target. They have a 90 day return policy vs Walmart 15 day return.
And now the chat portion of our story…
Nick:
Customer Last Page[ configinfo : IPOD SHUFFLE 1G 2ND GEN ORANGE-USA symptom : Other Mac issue country : us product : IPOD SHUFFLE 2ND GENERATION case number : serial number : 4H706LJ2XR1 dsid : 91646613 ]
Agent:
Thank you for contacting Apple Chat support. My name is Sridhar.
Nick:
hello
Agent:
Hello Nick, how are you doing today ?
Nick:
my ishuffle doesn;t work
Agent:
Are you contacting Apple for the first time regarding this Ipod shuffle?
Nick:
I’m good, how are you?
Nick:
Yes
Agent:
I am fine, thanks !
Nick:
Similar issue as a previous shuffle i had
Agent:
Ok, may I know what exactly is the issue with this iPod shuffle ?
Nick:
support told me to get a new one, so i did, but no better
Nick:
I’m on 10.4.9
Nick:
itunes is 7.1.1
Nick:
Shuffle doesn;t show on the desk top
Agent:
As I understand, you had an issue with the iPod shuffle and you contacted our chat support and one of the agents suggested to go for a replacement .. however, the replaced iPod is also facing the same issue .. right ?
Nick:
in itunes, it being prompted to be restored. I do that, but nothing gets better
Nick:
100% correct
Nick:
Please help
Agent:
Sure, the iPod was not getting recognized in the desktop and the iTunes gives a pop-up message saying that the iPod has to be restored … this was the original issue .. right ?
Nick:
yes
Nick:
hello?
Agent:
May I know the model of the Mac which you are using right now ?
Agent:
Yes
Nick:
1.8 PowerPC G5
Nick:
also happens on my G4 laptop
Agent:
Sorry for the delay in my response
Agent:
Ok
Agent:
We will now try formatting the iPod …
Nick:
OK
Agent:
please follow the below procedure
Agent:
Open the Finder window and go to Applications/Utilities .. and double click on “Disk Utility”
Agent:
Select the iPod drive as designated by an orange USB
Agent:
Click the Erase tab.
Nick:
OK, i’m here
Agent:
Choose MS-DOS File System from the Volume Format menu.
Agent:
Click the Erase button.
Agent:
Please let me know once when the erase process is completed
Nick:
Disk erase failed
Nick:
“could not open the device”
Nick:
was the error
Agent:
Ok, may I know the color of the status indicator on the iPod ?
Nick:
wait,
Nick:
i tried again
Nick:
and itunes is not popping up
Nick:
Ipod now wants to restore?
Nick:
shall I do that?
Nick:
968 ipod media is in orange
Agent:
Yes, please go ahead ..
Nick:
Untitled is white
Nick:
in the finder
Nick:
ok - restoring
Agent:
Fine, please let me know once when the restore process is complete
Agent:
You will get the iPod set-up assistant window once when the restore process is complete
Nick:
Donea
Nick:
but
Nick:
itunes thinks it is corrupted and wants to restore again
Nick:
it is orange in disk utility
Agent:
Ok, may I know the color of the status indicator on the iPod ?
Agent:
Is it a flashing orange or a steady orange ?
Nick:
in disk utility? = Orange
Nick:
oh
Nick:
flashing orange on Ipod
Nick:
power is off on shuffle
Agent:
Ok, please eject the iPod using the Finder .. and check whether the status indicator changes to steady orange or steady green
Nick:
can’t eject w/ finder, it doesn’t show in finder
Nick:
or on desktop
Agent:
Ok, do you see the iPod name listed there in the iTunes source list under “Devices” below “Music Store” ?
Nick:
yes
Nick:
ejected from itunes
Agent:
Now, may I know the color of the status indicator on the iPod ?
Nick:
blinking orange still
Agent:
Ok, please open the iTunes window .. do you still see the iPod name listed there ?
Nick:
yes
Nick:
and I get an error for corrupted and prompted to restore again
Agent:
Do you see the “Ok” button in the pop-up message ?
Nick:
yes
Nick:
i hit ok
Agent:
Ok, now click on the iPod name …
Agent:
and go to the “Settings” tab to the right of the iTunes window ..
Agent:
and check whether you see the “Disk Use” option under “Options”
Nick:
hold
Nick:
i only see a tab for summary
Agent:
Sure
Nick:
in the ipod area in the right
Agent:
Is it possible for you to try connecting the iPod to a different computer and try formatting it from there ?
Nick:
Lap top will probably give the same
Nick:
I will try
Agent:
Please .. try using the same procedure and format the iPod
Nick:
on the laptop i get
Nick:
the disk you interted was not read able by this computer
Nick:
initialize, ignor or eject are the actinos
Agent:
Due you have “Initialize” option ?
Nick:
yes
Agent:
* Do
Agent:
Fine, please choose “Initialize”
Nick:
OK
Agent:
It will invoke the Disk Utility
Nick:
back to disk utility,
Nick:
right
Agent:
Please try formatting the iPod using the same procedure
Agent:
Select the iPod drive as designated by an orange USB
Agent:
Click the Erase tab.
Nick:
in process
Agent:
choose MS-DOS File System from the Volume Format menu
Agent:
Click the Erase button.
Nick:
Prompted by disk utility (?) to go itunes and retore
Nick:
shall i?
Agent:
Fine, now open the iTunes window ..
Agent:
yes, please go ahead
Agent:
and try restoring the iPod using the iTunes
Nick:
looks different/better
Nick:
ipod software update
Nick:
bug fixes
Agent:
Fine
Agent:
Ok .. is the iPod window open now ?
Nick:
Itunes thinks it’s corrupt
Nick:
promting to restore
Agent:
Please try restoring the iPod again …
Nick:
ok
Agent:
using the iTunes
Nick:
Same thing
Nick:
corrupted
Nick:
may need to restore before using it with itunes
Nick:
try disconnecting and reconnecting
Agent:
Yes, please .. before reconnecting, try resetting the iPod using the below procedure
Agent:
switch off the iPod and wait for 10 seconds, after that switch on the iPod and wait for 5 seconds
Agent:
please connect the iPod switched on to a different usb port
Agent:
after that try formatting and restoring the iPod
Nick:
in progress
Agent:
Ok ..
Nick:
different usb and it is still corrupt
Nick:
ipod is on and orange blink
Agent:
I would like to escalate this chat to a Product Specialist, who, I feel will be in a more comfortable position to help you out with this issue. Please contact our telephone support agent, he will escalate this issue to a product specialist. Would that be ok with you?
Nick:
sure
Agent:
Please contact our telephone support ( 1-800-275-2273 ) which is open from 8 AM to 8 PM CST and ask the telephone support agent to escalate the call to a product specialist
Agent:
please mention this case number XXXXXXXX
Agent:
Nick, do you want to confirm anything else ?
Nick:
what options to choose from
Nick:
tech support?
Agent:
Yes ..
Agent:
and iPod
Nick:
OK- we are done
Agent:
Thank you for contacting Apple Chat Support. Have a good one. Good-bye.
Chat Session Ended, Goodbye. (5010)